Nutty Caramel Stuffed Baked Apples

Soft, baked apples are filled with a nutty caramel surprise! These sweet treats are like an “inside out” caramel apple! Don’t forget the streusel topping!

These baked apples are my version of caramel apples. These are more like inside out caramel apples, but they are close enough!

Caramel apples are a classic fall treat. You start to see them everywhere from the grocery store to fall festivals.

My kids love caramel apples. Scratch that, they like the IDEA of caramel apples and the like the caramel….they can skip the apples.

In all fairness, the caramel apples you buy seem to have the mealiest apples. I can’t blame the kids for eating just the caramel.

I’ve tried making caramel apples at home, but it is usually a disaster. If anyone has a great caramel apple recipe, please pass it along. My caramel is always runny and drips right off my apples. It puddles around the bottoms and I am left with a sticky mess and a bunch of apples that no one will now eat.

This is why I have decided inside out caramel apple baked apples is the way to go!

What Are Baked Apples?

Baked apples have the seeds and most of the pulp scooped out so that you are left an almost hollow apple.

Sometimes the apples are stuffed with cheesecake filling, an oatmeal mixture or even candies.

The apples are then baked until they are soft and tender.

What Are Good Baking Apples?

Green apples like Granny Smith apples have always been touted as good baking apples and that may be true for pie. But for these baked apples, the types of apple I would go with a red apple like a Jonagold, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or a Pink Lady.

All these apples have the right amount of sweetness that is amplified when warm. Plus they can handle the heat without becoming mealy. All of these apples are nice partners for caramel!

How To Make Baked Apples

I used Honeycrisp apples for this recipe because they are nice and firm. They are tangy and sweet all at the same time.

Cut the tops off of your apples. Us a sturdy spoon or a melon baller and scoop out the apple flesh making sure you remove all of the apple seeds. Do not remove all of the apple flesh, you essentially want an apple shell.

Place your apples in a baking dish. Place two, fun-sized Payday candy bars in each apple. I cut each candy bar in half so that they would fit better.

In a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and butter until they are crumbly. Divide the oat mixture over the top of the apples. You should have enough topping to be fairly generous!

The apples will take about 25 minutes to bake. The apples are done with the topping is golden and the apples are soft and tender.

Serve your baked apples warm. The candies will harden if the apples are left to sit for too long. You can certainly microwave the apples for a minute or two to reheat the candies.

Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce are both delicious toppings for these apples!

You are going to love baked apples! This recipe tastes like a caramel apple, an apple crisp, and an apple pie all at once!

Baked Apple Substitutions:

You can omit the candy bars and use caramel squares instead. I have not tried using peanut butter cups, but that sounds like it would be delicious!

You can also fill your apples with nuts and dried fruits like apricots, raisins, cherries, and nuts. The finish them off with the streusel topping or even use granola. A drizzle of heated peanut butter would be a great way to elevate these fruit-filled apples!

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Nutty Caramel Stuffed Baked Apples

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These baked apples are my take caramel apples but without the mess! Honeycrisp apples are filled caramel nut candy bars then topped with a crunchy topping!

Ingredients

4 Honeycrisp apples

8 mini caramel nut candies (Payday)

4 tablespoons flour

6 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter, cubed, cold

1 cup oats, uncooked

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the tops off of the apples. Using a spoon or a melon baller, remove the seeds and most of the pulp from the apples leaving enough apple around the edge to form a shell. Place the apples in a baking dish.

Place two candy bars in the center of each apple (halving the candies if necessary)

In a bowl, combine the flour,brown sugar, and butter. Blend until crumbly, stir in oats.

Top the apples with the oat mixture.

Bake the apples for 25-30 minutes or until oats are golden and apples are soft.

Notes

Keep an eye on your apples. If the oats begin to brown to quickly, cover the pan with foil